MESSAGE FROM THE CHANCELLOR
Mr. Kitack Lim WMU Chancellor and Secretary-General, International Maritime Organization, WMU Class of 1991
As the Chancellor of the World Maritime University (WMU), it is an honour for me to present the 2020 Annual Report on behalf of the University’s Board of Governors and Executive Board, the members of which, I thank for their dedication and hard work on behalf of the University. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the University continued to deliver on its mandate, providing essentially uninterrupted education for its students. The quick move to online learning in March 2020 underlines the excellence of WMU in providing maritime and oceans education, research and capacitybuilding. I received regular briefings from the President through 2020 on the steps taken by the University to ensure the health and safety of its students and the successful completion of another academic year. The University was able to deliver small scale and online graduation ceremonies to ensure that the momentous occasion of graduating from WMU was duly celebrated for the Class of 2020. As a WMU graduate myself, I know firsthand the invaluable skills gained through a WMU education. Graduates of WMU are equipped with the necessary skills to contribute effectively to the realization of IMO’s goals. Their efforts will benefit us all as they foster sustainable development in
WHEN ADVISING OR REPRESENTING THEIR COUNTRY, OR WHEN NEGOTIATING WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS, WMU GRADUATES RELY ON THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING THEY RECEIVED AT THE UNIVERSITY. THEY WILL TAKE THEIR PLACES ON THE GREAT STAGE OF THE WORLD’S MARITIME AND OCEANS SECTORS AND WILL BE INSTRUMENTAL IN THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS, BOTH INTERNATIONALLY AND IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES.
support of the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG). When advising or representing their country, or when negotiating with international partners, WMU graduates rely on the education and training they received at the University. They will take their places on the great stage of the world’s maritime and oceans sectors and will be instrumental in the pandemic response and recovery efforts, both internationally and in their home countries. The Class of 2020 included 239 graduates from 79 countries – 110 MSc graduates from the Malmö Headquarters and 61 MSc graduates from the China programmes (a combined total of 171 MSc graduates), one PhD graduate and 63 graduates from the distance learning programmes (including 5 LLM graduates). In support of UN SDG 5 focusing on gender equality, a third of the overall graduates in 2020 were women. The total number of WMU graduates now stands at 5,392 from 170 countries and territories. Beyond the excellent education provided at the University, WMU is excelling in supporting the shipping industry by bringing together the maritime and oceans sectors through its research and outreach programmes. Although physical meetings were not possible for the majority of 2020, the University offered seven public webinars, three of which focused on issues affecting the maritime and oceans sectors due to the pandemic. The WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute
2 2020 Annual Report / World Maritime University
